Trance | Trance Tuesdays
Posted by Spice on October 9, 2012
Greetings, Trance Family. I trust this post finds you well. While this particular family member is still reeling from a positively massive (to borrow Armin’s favorite word) few days — Jochen Miller and Armin van Buuren on Thursday; Above & Beyond on Saturday — it is now time to move past the weekend and pay homage to a sampling of the glorious releases that have dropped in the past week. And glorious they truly are.
First up is the remix package for the stunning “I’ll Listen,” a song that may seem languid and understated at first but which proves wickedly catchy upon subsequent listens. Never doubt the diabolical tendencies of Armin. Check out John O’Callaghan’s “dark” mix above and then join me in trance heaven after the jump.
Events, Featured | Electric Zoo: A How-To Guide (Day Two)
Posted by Spice on August 24, 2012
Middy and I are back with our picks for Day 2 of the whirlwind parade of awesomeness that is Electric Zoo. There’s no clear theme to Day 2 (it’s not the “dubstep” day or the “trance” day), but there is a wide variety of excellent talent to look forward to and spectacles that are sure to astound and delight. Without further adieu, let’s Aoki-jump right in — fun, excitement, and madness await…
Events, Featured | Electric Zoo: A How-To Guide (Day One)
Posted by Spice on August 23, 2012
Labor Day weekend officially begins when the gates at Randall’s Island open at 11 am next Friday. Electric Zoo is second only to Ultra in terms of festivals on the east coast and its 2012 installment is sure to have have something for everyone. You will get to see some of the best talent from every end of the dance music spectrum, with festival mainstays like Hardwell, Above & Beyond, Axwell, Nicky Romero, Tiesto, Skrillex, Steve Aoki, Dada Life, Sander van Doorn, Zedd and many more. Electric Zoo also features legendary underground names like Sasha, Luciano, Boys Noize, Chris Leibing, and Marco Carola, and gives even the most casual viewer a chance to see some of the brightest young talent in the game, thanks to Porter Robinson, Pierce Fulton, Alvin Risk, Mord Fustang, Maya Jane Coles, W&W, and Norin & Rad. Finally, with seasoned tastemakers like A-Trak and Diplo topping out headlining sets, you’re pretty much guaranteed to have an amazing time.
It’s a tall order to attempt to concisely preview Day One in a single post. All four stages feature excellent talent, from Above & Beyond’s tranced-out Group Therapy tent to the absolutely stacked main stage lineup. Riverside brings a more eclectic sound to the festival, thanks to A-trak and Jack Beats, and Sunday School Grove provides that techy, old-school sound that the deepest and darkest house heads crave. So let’s dive headfirst into Friday — Middy and I will tell you who you must see, who you can miss, and the sleeper picks that will round out your Day One experience.
Check out the full list of Electric Zoo set times and create your own custom schedule for each day here.
Trance | Jaytech feat. Steve Smith – Stranger
Posted by Spice on July 31, 2012
After commanding serious airtime on all of the weekly trance radio shows, Jaytech’s blissed out, otherworldly anthem “Stranger” has finally dropped on Above & Beyond’s Anjunabeats. While I’m partial to Kyau & Albert’s riveting and intense reboot (see above; it’s set to drop on August 20), the original is fantastic as well — you simply can’t argue with those vocals against that watery synth backdrop. Expect this track to send sparks flying in the Group Therapy tent at Electric Zoo next month, and look for it on Jaytech’s upcoming album Multiverse, out August 13.
“Stranger” is out now on UK iTunes and Beatport.
Events, Review | Global Dance Festival Colorado Recap
Posted by CHAZZZ on July 28, 2012
*Guest post from the FreshNewTracks’ Intern Zoe
One week ago marked the 10th anniversary of Triad Dragon’s Global Dance Festival. First known as Rave on the Rocks, Global Dance Fest started in 1999 at the legendary Red Rocks amphitheater featuring The Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim for a mere $20 ticket. Since its early days, Global has been well known for showcasing up and coming artists on the brink of chart-topping popularity. As the festival has grown, pioneers of electronic music such as Paul Van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Tiësto, and Deadmau5 have helped give Global the reputation it has today.
This year’s lineup was no let down for the big celebration. Headliners including Steve Angello, Above & Beyond, Wolfgang Gartner, Excision and Zed’s Dead kept the festival alive from start to finish. On Friday, Hardwell, Knife Party, and Steve Angello tore up the main stage with nonstop crowd pleasers and confetti cannons while Krewella, 3LAU and Felix Cartal started fist pumping and shuffling riots at the Global Bass Stage.
Things escalated even more when Manufactured Superstars sent hundreds of inflatable astronauts into the audience and Above & Beyond led an hour and a half long session of group therapy. Wolfgang Gartner. However, remains the most memorable, taking the crowd on a derpgang roller coaster with tracks ranging from “Flexxx” to Notorious BIG’s “Hypnotize.”
Trance | Above & Beyond – Small Moments Like These
Posted by Middy on June 26, 2012
When Above & Beyond releases a song, the world listens and when it is free, the world downloads on sight. They have the ability to make songs that pull out emotions that you did not know were possible to reach through music and tug at heartstrings unlike any artist I have every listened to. Their live shows have been compared to a religious experience, something I can vouch for, and by the end you will see many people with teary eyes. “Small Moments Like These” is an ode to all the great times they have had on tour, with their fans and with each other at Anjunabeats in the past year and want to share that joy and emotion with their loving fans through the best medium they know, music. If you have seen them live, you will be hard pressed to keep a dry eye all the way to end of the video and if you haven’t yet for some reason, this should convince you to see them the next opportunity you get. They make some of the most beautiful music being made right now and this is no exception.
Dubstep | Above & Beyond – On My Way To Heaven (Seven Lions Remix)
Posted by Mach on June 17, 2012
Due to its insane hype, Above & Beyond made the right decision to release this remix on its own. Seven Lions have been powering through the charts recently, their album only dropped a little while back and the feedback was immense. The original of this track is undoubtedly just as amazing, but now enjoy the melodic beauty of this amazing Dubstep remix.